Any straight replacement - nothing that requires fitting (Figure it is cheap if I pay a real Gunsmith) Typically a detail strip 2 - 3 times a year depending on how much use the firearm gets to burn powder.

One of my goals for 07 is to learn how to detail strip a 1911. I can do it with Glocks but I think Glocks are probably the easiest guns to disassemble. I'm going to have my gunsmith back in Iowa give me a lesson.

Guess I have done or tried to do just about everything that didn't need a machine shop to do..There is a lot of satisfaction in doing things for your self that work out well..
Lack of a local smith is another reason to do things yourself..

Who works on their 1911's POLL

I think that I have done about everything that can be done by hand in building .45s for myself only. O/S barrels, slides, frames, safeties..... most everything. There are not many things that I would nornally do but hammer on a 1911.

Long barrel, 5", .460R, combat. I can't wait to start the next projects. I wish that I could build some in the 4 1/2 - 3" size, but the small size makes them really hard to balance.

I've done a tiny amount on my Kimber. It had a problem with 230gr ball ammo(Crazy I know). Most of my hobby 'smithing has been with rifles. I was fortunate enough to get some machine tool experience in the Army. And later on in tech school I got even more. I've been itching to get a 1911 build going. To be honest though I don't even know where to start.

Not currently owning an auto loader, I couldn't very well take the poll.

BUT, when I did have my Gold Cup, I replaced its straight mainspeing housinf with an arched one. Also changed out the grips for walnut ones. And installed a new hardball recoil spring.

At one time I was in charge of twenty four M1911s, and switched parts around on those for the pistol team. This included tighter barrel bushings, smoother triggers, etc. I was not allowed to use non-GI parts, so had to try fit parts that I had on hand. This while in the U.S. Army.

I had enough sense to see to it that the company commander's pistol was the best looking.

Nothing major like a barrel replacement, but hammer, sears, triggers, sights etc... As soon as I can afford a mill/lathe/press I'll take the next step up the smithing ladder. The only real prohibition to what I can currently do is the cost of the proper tools and fixtures. Oh, and I detail strip any/all of my weapons after approx 100 rounds of ammo... I believe I have what the pro's call OCD.

Normally, since my guns are all mainly for self defense, I'd really rather not have to worry about them as much, but as I currently own and have owned 1911's, I find I don't have much choice. My main CCW is a Kimber Tac Pro that I'll be changing the ejector on this weekend now that I've got the new extractor in and "tuned". Kinda makes me mad that I have to do this for the most expensive weapon I own, but I won't deal with folks that look for excuses not to fix a tool that I may have to rely on for my life. I also strongly believe that it is in every gun owners best interest to have a basic working knowledge of their weapon. A responsibility of sorts.

On the flip side, I really enjoy working on guns or anything mechanical and am in the process of a major career change as I look for gun smithing schools to attend.

A lot of 1911 work is straightforward and simple.
Some of it is not.
I wouldn't touch the feed ramp, for instance, nor the magazine's feed lips.
Trigger jobs, including stoning the sear-to-hammer contact surfaces, take patience. But really good trigger jobs take talent, which I don't have.

A lot of 1911 work is straightforward and simple.
Some of it is not.
I wouldn't touch the feed ramp, for instance, nor the magazine's feed lips.
Trigger jobs, including stoning the sear-to-hammer contact surfaces, take patience. But really good trigger jobs take talent, which I don't have.

Two reason why I purchased a Mil-Spec one I didn't want to buy a 1911 the way some one else thought it should be made for me,second was I wanted to learn the in and outs of the gun and how to do things for myself, thru the help of the great peoples on different forums I just about customized my entire 1911 all by myself.It's totally reliable I have never had one hiccup or misfeed,I love how it looks and it's very accurate! KUDO"S and thanks to all of the great people that helped me along the way and gave me advise.